Report: Haskins takes 1st-team reps, on track to start vs. Panthers

Alex Smith showed progress in his recovery from a calf injury Thursday but Dwayne Haskins handled first-team quarterback reps at practice and is on track to start against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Smith missed the team's loss to the Seattle Seahawks after suffering the calf ailment the previous week. Haskins started in his place, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions.

After spending Wednesday working with trainers, Smith threw to receivers Thursday during individual drills, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. However, it will reportedly be challenging for him to return Sunday when Washington faces Carolina.

"He did have a good day today," head coach Ron Rivera said, according to Garafolo. "It was promising. We'll see how it is in the morning."

Washington has won four of five games started by Smith, who returned in 2020 after missing the entire 2019 season while recovering from surgeries stemming from a broken leg and post-operation infection.

The team is 1-4 in games started by Haskins, who was stripped of his captaincy Wednesday after acknowledging he violated COVID-19 protocol by partying without a mask after Washington lost to Seattle.

Washington holds a one-game lead over the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys for the top spot in the NFC East. It would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Giants if the two teams finish with the same record but would win the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cowboys.